A selfie photo posted by Miss Israel Doron Matalon with fellow contestants Miss Lebanon, Miss Slovenia and Miss Japan on her social media account recently caused quite an uproar, especially since there is still ongoing strife between Israel and majority of the Arab countries.
"Good morning from us!" Miss Israel's caption read.
The photo ignited several debates as to whether or not it was appropriate, given the discord between the countries involved.
After that, Miss Lebanon Saly Greige took to Instagram to reveal "the truth behind the photo" and she posted the same picture but without Miss Israel in it.
"Since the first day of my arrival to participate to Miss Universe, I was very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel (that tried several times to have a photo with me)," she wrote in her caption. "I was having a photo with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia and myself; suddenly Miss Israel jumped in, took a selfie, and put it on her social media."
For her part, Matalon said she was saddened by the turn of events caused by her photo. She posted a screenshot of a website carrying the headline "Miss Lebanon in Trouble" and she wrote, "It doesn't surprise me, but it still makes me sad."
She said that it was "too bad you cannot put the hostility out of the game," especially since the girls only had three weeks to enjoy the Miss Universe pageant.
The Miss Universe Organization also defended the picture and expressed disappointment that others saw it in a bad light.
"At an event with one of our charitable partners, Miss Universe Lebanon and Miss Universe Israel innocently ended up in an impromptu photo together, which was then posted on Instagram," the organization said in a statement to CNN.
"It is unfortunate to know a photo of four smiling women from different parts of the world, working together at an event, could be misconstrued as anything other than what it is - a celebration of universal friendship, which the Miss Universe pageant is all about."
This is not the first time the two countries encountered trouble in the Miss Universe pageant. Back in 2002, former Miss Lebanon Christina Sawaya reportedly pulled out of Miss Universe because she did not want to share the stage with Miss Israel.
